NUJ demands disciplinary action against soldiers who ‘assaulted’ journalist

The Nigerian Union of Journalists (NUJ), Abuja, wants disciplinary action to be taken against the soldiers who allegedly assaulted Ikechukwu Ibe, a photojournalist with Daily Trust.

Ibe was said to have taken pictures of a vehicle that ran into a restaurant, resulting in the anger of the soldiers.

His camera was collected and the memory card, destroyed.

In a statement on Monday, Rafat Salami, secretary of the union, said security agents have continued to treat journalists as people “who must be crushed” rather than partners in nation-building.

“Ibe was brutally assaulted leaving him with multiple lacerations and swollen eyes,” the statement read.

“The over-zealous military officers confiscated his camera, removed and destroyed the memory card just because he took some pictures of a vehicle that ran into a restaurant in Jabi.

“Rather than treat journalists as partners in nation building, security agents have consistently treated journalists as enemies who must be crushed.

“More saddening is the fact that the assault took place just as Nigeria is preparing to commemorate the International Day to End Impunity For Crimes Against Journalists on November 2.”

Giving his own account of the incident, the statement quoted Ibe as saying that the soldiers started beating him up “without provocation”.

He said they assaulted him when he started taking pictures of an army captain who did not wear a name tag.

“They collected my camera, broke it and took my memory card which contained the photos that I had taken. They also tore my clothes before bundling me into a Black Maria where I met six other persons,” the statement quoted Ibe as saying.

“I later put a call across to my photo editor and the Daily Trust Editor, who brought a pair of trousers to me at the Life Camp Police station where I was taken to.

“My editors later secured my release and my broken camera was handed back to me without the memory card. However, my Identity card and N3, 700 cash in my pocket were not returned.”